Former Leicester City star, Danny Simpson, has openly shared his sympathy for Manchester United’s summer signing, Benjamin Sesko, following another difficult Premier League outing. The young striker found himself powerless once again as Manchester United endured a humiliating 3-0 defeat to their fierce rivals, Manchester City, at Old Trafford on Sunday. The derby was dominated by Pep Guardiola’s men, with Erling Haaland scoring twice after Phil Foden had broken the deadlock in the first half. According to Simpson, the Red Devils are currently struggling to create meaningful opportunities across every area of the pitch, leaving Sesko isolated and frustrated. “I felt sorry for [Benjamin] Sesko today. He’s putting in the effort, but there’s simply nothing he can do when the team fails to create chances,” Simpson told Stadium Astro. Despite Manchester United adding several talented players during the summer transfer window, the club continues to mirror the same poor form they showed last season. So far this campaign, Ruben Amorim’s side has played four league matches—managing just one victory, suffering two defeats, and securing one draw. With only four points collected, the Red Devils currently sit in 14th place on the Premier League table, raising fresh concerns among fans and pundits. Simpson further criticized Amorim’s tactical choices, particularly the decision not to start young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo. He added:“Crazy [Mainoo didn’t start]. The moment he came on, there was more energy and drive in the midfield.” The former Sporting CP coach is now under immense pressure to transform Manchester United’s fortunes and stabilize results at Old Trafford. Up next, Manchester United face an in-form Chelsea side at home next Saturday in what promises to be another crucial test for Amorim and his players.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has reacted to his side’s emphatic 4-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in their opening Premier League fixture, admitting that while the first-half performance impressed him, the second-half display fell below his expectations. The defending champions kicked off their title defense with goals from Erling Haaland, who struck twice across both halves, while Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki—two of City’s newest signings—also found the back of the net. Despite the convincing scoreline, Guardiola was quick to highlight the dip in intensity after the interval, suggesting that it may have been due to a lack of full match fitness, as City had played limited pre-season friendlies. Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports, Guardiola analyzed the game in detail: “The first half was good, but the second was not. The attitude and many things were good, but in the second half, Wolves played better in certain moments. Still, winning 4-0 and improving is positive.” The Spaniard praised his summer signings, particularly Reijnders, who he described as one of the standout players from Serie A last season: “All the new ones impressed. Tijjani was among the best players in Serie A; his rhythm is unbelievable. In the first game, you never know what to expect. We didn’t play many warm-up matches in pre-season, but there were many positives, especially in the first half.” Guardiola admitted that his squad’s drop in tempo during the second period is not unusual at this stage of the season: “In the second half, we dropped too much. Maybe that is normal in the beginning of the season.” Key Takeaway While Manchester City opened their season in dominant fashion, Guardiola’s sharp remarks underline his constant demand for perfection. With the Premier League season just underway, the champions will look to fine-tune their performance levels as they aim to retain the title once again.
